final member update - year end 2013

CFHS 2013 HIGHLIGHTS Building a humane Canada – 2013 in review

CFHS 2013 HIGHLIGHTS

The value of being part of a Federation In 2013 the CFHS developed multiple valuable properties and initiatives specifically for our members:

The Choose Adoption ribbons (which can be used as a shelter fundraiser) and the Canada Post Choose Adoption stamp bring national awareness to shelters’ core business – getting more animals into homes.

The Capacity for Care strategy will provide shelters with a proven model to increase adoption and reduce euthanasia.

The CFHS exclusivity contract with the Walker Art Center for the “Internet Cat Video Festival” will support the Just for Cats series of CFHS member-focused cat festivals across the country in 2014.

The CFHS with the support of one of our funders, hosted a successful joint fundraising event in Toronto

The second annual Parliament Hill event, exclusive to CFHS members, allowed privileged access to the country’s top decision-makers.


Improving welfare for millions of farm animals The CFHS team of farm animal welfare experts spent hundreds of hours negotiating with industry groups, retailers and other stakeholders to advance Canada’s Codes of Practice for the Care and Handling of different species. Here are some of the improvements we negotiated for and realized in the updated codes:


Beef Cattle – 70 clear requirements including:

New restrictions on electric prod use. Pain control must be used when dehorning calves over two months of age (beginning 2016). Pain control must be used when castrating calves over 9 months of age (beginning 2016), and over

6 months of age (beginning 2018). Cattle must have well-drained, comfortable resting areas. Cattle not coping with weather conditions must be promptly assisted. Prompt corrective action must be taken to improve the condition of thin cattle. Cattle on feedlots must be gradually transitioned to a high-grain diet. Mandatory veterinary relationship and disease prevention strategy. Cattle health must be monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure prompt treatment or care. Sick, injured or lame cattle must be treated. Stipulation of humane methods of euthanasia.


Horses – 75 clear requirements including Owners must have adequate resources and knowledge to ensure animal care. Horses must have exercise or turnout. Tail cutting and blocking are prohibited. Tail docking for cosmetic purposes is prohibited. Horses must have access to shelter that protects them from extreme weather. Horses must have enough space to lie down in normal resting posture, stand, walk forward and

turn around in comfort. Horses must have access to a mud-free, well-drained area on which to stand and lie down. Horses may only be tethered when under supervision by experienced operators. Prompt corrective action must be taken to improve the condition of thin cattle. Feet must be trimmed and/or shod to maintain hoof condition. Horses must not be trained in a manner that subjects them to unnecessary pain or injury. Stipulation of humane methods of euthanasia.


Sheep – 26 clear requirements including: New requirements for the use of pain control when castrating and tail docking sheep above 4-6

weeks (depending on the method). Sheep must have sufficient space to simultaneously lie down and ruminate, stand up, turn around,

adopt resting postures and move around easily. Sheep must have well-drained lying areas. Constantly standing in mud is not acceptable. Sheep must not be housed on solid concrete floors without providing adequate bedding. Stockpeople must work calmly and quietly with sheep at all times. Sheep must have visual contact with other sheep. Sheep must have access to shelter, either natural or man-made, that provides appropriate relief

for the regional and seasonal climatic conditions and is appropriate for the individual production system.

Producers must take corrective action when the body condition score for individual sheep with a score of less than 2 out of 5 for meat breeds and 1.5 out of 5 for dairy breeds.

Sick, injured, or diseased sheep must receive prompt treatment and nursing care, or be euthanized immediately. The treatment must be appropriate for the condition. If in doubt about the sheep’s health or the most effective treatment, consult a veterinarian without delay.

For sick, injured, or diseased sheep that are not responding to treatment producers must, without delay, obtain veterinary advice on appropriate care and treatment or euthanize the sheep.

Monitoring of sick, injured or diseased sheep must be appropriate for the condition and at least daily.


Pigs Throughout 2013 CFHS representatives fought for an advancement in animal welfare for the 27 million pigs raised in Canada each year during extremely challenging and emotionally draining negotiations. The negotiations have been postponed until early 2014. A particularly low point in this process was when American lobbyist Rick Berman, known by his friends and enemies as Dr. Evil rallied farmers in Canada to oppose any phase out of gestation stalls. The CFHS continues to talk with retailers who are implementing their own gestation stall phase-outs.


Promoting dog welfare on Parliament Hill In 2013 the CFHS hosted a wildly successful event on Parliament Hill alongside our member societies. The theme for 2013 was improving the welfare of dogs. The event was hosted by Conservative MPs Rick Dykstra and Bruce Stanton. This year’s special guest was RCMP service dog Rush and his handler Cpl. George Voelk. Justice Minister Peter MacKay attended the event and pledged his department’s commitment to introducing Quanto’s law into the House of Commons in 2014. The CFHS had met with Minister MacKay’s advisors shortly before the event to provide them with information on how to end puppy mill and close the loopholes around dog fighting. The event was attended by several other MPs and Senators who all expressed support for the shelter community in Canada.


Making cats count in Canada In the second of the CFHS’ strategic multi-year program to improve the welfare of cats in Canada we worked in partnership with our members (and some non-members) to facilitate dynamic community meetings in eight different provinces! The meetings were attended by hundreds of individuals representing many different stakeholder groups. At the end of each meeting each person committed to one action that they would take to improve cat welfare – that’s hundreds of actions for cats across the country. Capacity for Care (C4C) is a unique shelter management strategy designed to drastically raise adoption rates and reduce euthanasia. With funding from The Summerlee Foundation, the CFHS is working with our member societies the Guelph Humane Society and the PEI Humane Society on C4C pilot projects. CFHS is also working closely with the C4C program creators on the Million Cat Challenge – an initiative to get 1,000,000 cats in North America out of shelters and into forever homes! In 2013 the CFHS hosted its first Canadian Internet Cat Video festival with member society Montreal SPCA. In 2014 the CFHS will expand the “Just For Cats” festivals across Canada. The festivals are a fun and engaging way to bring cat lovers and enthusiasts together to both appreciate cats and learn about improving their welfare.


Canadian Celebrities lend support to Finding Fido The CFHS released its first in a series of PSAs promoting dog adoption and educating the public about the realities of puppy mills. The PSA stars musicians Tara Oram and Mark Spicoluk (both are judges on YTV’s The Next Star) and CFHS CEO Barbara Cartwright. Canadian actor Jonathan Keltz (Entourage, Necessary Roughness and Republic of Doyle) generously donated his time to direct the film. Leveraging several CFHS connections and relationships the PSA will be aired until August 31st on Rogers TV stations in Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland as well as in the U.S. on a number of stations including CNN, A&E, Spike, Headline News, TLC, BET, CNBC, Speed and Peachtree. View, and promote the PSA on your social media outlets! http://findingfido.ca/finding-fido-psa/ Planning has begun for the second PSA with Lucy Decoutere (Trailer Park Boys) and Jeff Douglas (CBC – As it Happens and the “I am Canadian” beer commercial) both volunteering their time to the Finding Fido program. Both Lucy and Jeff have been able to use their influence to bring on a volunteer production team.


Creating an animal adoption community The CFHS conducted a member focused launch for the new Choose Adoption ribbons. These teal ribbons which are tied to an animal’s collar, leash or to their person signify that they are an adopted animal. The ribbons are meant to increase awareness and value of adopted animals and create a national animal adoption community. Choose Adoption ribbons and lapel pins were embraced by Parliamentarians at the CFHS Hill event in November. A large and sustained public promotion campaign will begin in 2014.


Elevating the importance of research At the end of 2013 the CFHS released its first full report and analysis of animal shelter statistics in Canada. The CFHS gathered data from more than 100 humane societies and SPCAs across the country. The collection and analysis of this data will assist in improving the welfare of companion animals by providing a picture of what is happening in shelters across the country.


Creating Standards for Canadian shelters After a yearlong process that began with stakeholder meetings in February, a Canada forward to accompany the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animals Shelters has been created. The ASV guidelines were thoroughly reviewed by a team of animal welfare experts and revised to be usable by shelters all across Canada. A workshop detailing the new standards will be done at the upcoming CFHS national animal welfare conference


Harnessing the reach of Canada Post to raise the profile of animal adoption Monday April 22, 2013 saw the launch of the Choose Adoption 5-stamp commemorative series, a collaboration of the CFHS and Canada Post. The stamp was launched alongside Mrs. Laureen Harper, Minister Stephen Fletcher, Canada Post President and CEO Deepak Chopra and Ottawa Humane Society President Linda Barber.


Creating Access to Humane Euthanasia The CFHS met with Health Canada and received support for a pilot project in Ontario targeted at increasing humane euthanasia by allowing limited access to humane euthanasia drugs by non-veterinarians. The Ontario humane euthanasia working group is now a subcommittee of the Ontario government’s Animal Welfare Task force and is working with the Ontario Veterinary Medication Association, the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, OVMA, CVO, Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians, The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs and the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to develop the pilot model.


Building a Humane Canada The CFHS presented at several important animal welfare events including:

A presentation on the CFHS Cats in Canada report and data at the SAWA conference in Arizona, at the NS SPCA 3rd Annual Animal Wellness Conference, at the Saskatchewan Animal Welfare Conference and at the Guelph Humane Society Annual General meeting

A presentation on the importance of farm animal welfare at the Tim Horton’s Conference in Guelph Ontario.

A presentation at the Animal Welfare Administers of Ontario Conference. Facilitated a discussion at the Ottawa screening of Ghosts in Our Machine.


Broadening the scope of humane education in Atlantic Canada The 2013 CFHS McGrand grants to support humane education programs in Atlantic Canada were presented to:

Sadie’s Place for their Pawsitive Program; SPCA Péninsule Acadienne; Miramichi SPCA for the production of educational materials.


Strengthening the Federation In 2014 the CFHS welcomed 6 new members:

Toronto Humane Society (THS) the second oldest Humane Society in Canada Association of Animal Shelter Administrators of Ontario (AASAO) Miramichi SPCA Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society (AARCS) Sadie’s Place Lanark Animal Welfare Society (LAWS)


CFHS National Animal Welfare Conference The program and sponsorship committees have been hard at work in 2013. Conference early-bird registration will open in mid-January and a copy of the conference program is will available at the same time all on the CFHS website: http://cfhs.ca/info/national_animal_welfare_conference_1/


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! We are looking forward to getting started on all of our 2014 programs!

If you have any questions please contact me at [email protected]

final member update - year end 2013

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